DAY 3: Titans and Warriors canter to comfortable wins

TITANS v DOLPHINS

Centurion: The Momentum Multiply Titans’ trio of Duan Jansen, Dayyaan Galiem, and Janco Smit performed admirably with bat and ball to set them up for a comfortable nine-wicket win over the Hollywoodbets Dolphins in their CSA 4-Day Series match at SuperSport Park on Thursday.

The Dolphins won the toss and elected to bat first before they were bundled out for 125.

Titans replied with a solid 255, before taking the ball and restricting the visitors to 200. The hosts needed only 17.2 overs to get to 72-1 and claim victory.

Duan Jansen got the ball rolling for the Titans’ victory with a four-wicket haul in the first innings.

The left-arm seamer tore through the Dolphins’ top order on his way to four wickets for 39 runs in 14 overs.

He was supported by Smit, who finished the innings with three wickets to his name.

The Titans had a shaky start and then suffered a middle-order collapse in their reply.

However, their innings was saved by Dayyaan Galiem, who changed the complexion of the match with a sensational, unbeaten 64-ball 91.

His outstanding knock helped the hosts carry a vital 130-run lead into the third innings.

Jansen and Smith shared the new ball in the Dolphins’ second outing with the bat and wreaked havoc once more.

However, this time, Jansen played second fiddle to Smit, taking three wickets, while the right-arm pacer recorded his maiden first-class four-wicket haul.

His tally of four wickets for 40 runs in 7.5 overs is now his best bowling performance in an innings, while his haul of seven for 66 are his best in a match.

Dolphins’ Tristan Luus recorded his highest first-class score in the innings; however, it couldn’t turn the tide for the visitors.

Keegan Petersen (41*) and Neil Brand (26*) shepherded the Titans home with their unbroken 72-run second-wicket partnership.

DRAGONS V WARRIORS

Potchefstroom: Matthew Boast and Jordan Hermann were exceptional with ball and bat as the Dafabet Warriors made light work of the Eastvaal Renault Dragons’ challenge by defeating them by an innings and 142 runs at the JB Marks Oval.

The Dragons, who won the toss and chose to bat first, stumbled to 160 in the first innings.

The visitors replied with an emphatic 387, before bundling out the Dragons for a mere 85 on day three.

Boast set the tone for the Warriors with a brilliant bowling performance.

He registered his second first-class five-wicket haul, finishing the innings with five wickets for 42 runs in 17 overs.

He kept the Dragons on the back foot and denied them momentum by taking wickets at regular intervals.

Jordan Hermann stepped up and fortified the Warriors’ position in the contest with a masterful century.

The left-hander scored a well-paced 134 from 220 balls. This is his sixth first-class century.

Patrick Kruger pushed the game further away from the Dragons with a solid 124-ball 76, his 12th first-class half-century.

Lesiba Ngoepe and Onke Nyaku top-scored for the Dragons with 17 runs apiece as the hosts’ attempt to salvage the contest crumbled.

The Warriors’ bowling attack was simply too strong for the hosts. All six bowlers the Warriors used took wickets as they tore through the Dragons’ batting line-up.

Boast was the pick of the bowlers with a haul of seven wickets for 56 runs. His first innings haul of 5-42 is now his career-best bowling performance in an innings.

LIONS V BOLAND

Johannesburg: Glenton Stuurman launched a lower-order blitz to lead Goldrush Boland to 253-9 at stumps in their encounter against the DP World Lions at the DP World Wanderers.

Boland had Stuurman (56*) and Akhona Mnyaka (1*) at the crease at stumps.

The visitors trail the Lions by 121 runs with one wicket in hand. They are replying to the hosts’ first-innings score of 374.

Stuurman struck a run-a-ball 56, his second first-class half-century, as he battled to keep the visitors in the contest.

He reached the milestone with a four off Beyers Swanepoel shortly before the close of play.

His effort complemented Aviwe Mgijima’s half-century earlier in the day.

Mgijima scored a patient 161-ball 50 while wickets tumbled around him. This is his 22nd first-class half-century.

Bjorn Fortuin, Beyers Swanepoel and Wiaan Mulder took three wickets apiece as the Lions positioned themselves well in the contest.

Their haul gives the hosts an outside chance for victory on the final day. Fortuin was the most successful of the lot with three wickets for 47 runs in 19 runs.

TUSKERS VS WESTERN PROVINCE

Pietermaritzburg: Josh Breed recorded his maiden first-class three-wicket haul as he drew WSB Western Province closer to victory in their contest against the Moothee Ram Tuskers at the Pietermaritzburg Oval. 

The Tuskers were on 172-7 at stumps.

The hosts need 172 runs to win with three wickets in hand. They had Chad Laycock (12*) at the crease at the close of play.

Breed, who is featuring in his maiden first-class match, finished the day with three wickets for 33 runs in 9.4 overs.

He accounted for Kagiso Rapulana (41), Jean du Plessis (1) and Bamanye Xenxe (2) as he helped press the visitors into a strong position.

Yaseen Valli scored a valiant half-century as he battled to keep the hosts in the match.

He was dismissed for a patient 105-ball 58. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the support he needed.

Earlier in the day, Juan James and Daniel Smith recorded half-centuries as the visitors dominated the Tuskers’ bowling attack.

James’s 56 from 91 balls is his maiden first-class half-century, while Smith’s 116-ball 93 is his 12th first-class half-ton.